On Thursday, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, which is affiliated to Capital Medical University, announced the foundation of a joint laboratory of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosi(ALS) during the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services.

According to Wang Yilong, a senior doctor of and vice-dean at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, the medical community has yet to reach a consensus regarding the exact cause of ALS, suggesting that it may be the result of multiple factors interacting. Currently, the only drugs approved for treating ALS mainly rely on a few medications such as riluzole and edaravone. These drugs can alleviate some symptoms to a certain extent but cannot reverse the disease process.

Rehabilitation training also plays an important role in the early treatment of ALS. Through aerobic exercise and muscle strength training, patients can improve their muscle strength and alleviate symptoms of muscle atrophy, Wang said, adding that rehabilitation training helps to enhance the quality of life of patients, boosting their confidence and coping abilities.

"For patients in the later stages of the disease, currently available treatments primarily involve life-sustaining measures, including assisted breathing and feeding, to maintain survival," he said, adding that currently there is still no effective way to cure ALS.

This is why the joint laboratory was established. Based on the medical resources and research platform of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, the laboratory focuses on basic and clinical research in neuromuscular diseases, particularly ALS. By studying drug clinical effects, it explores aspects including etiology, pathogenesis, early diagnosis, treatment, and nursing.

Especially, for the laboratory ALS is only a starting point. Wang said that the laboratory conducts related research around clinical treatment of neurological diseases to improve prevention, treatment, and repair systems for these conditions, promoting innovative research and clinical applications in neurological disorders. It brings together experts from various disciplines including neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, etc.